72 THE PATH OF PERFECTION Determination and Steadiness in Yoga 73
but as soon as the infection of karma-yoga or jfidna-yoga is van- all these symptoms?”’ Because people do not make such inquiries,
quished, they become second-class or first-class persons in Krsna they are cheated. Therefore it is necessary to be fixed in con-
consciousness. Faith in Krsna is also divided into three stages and sciousness of the Self. Unless one knows and understands the real
described in Srimad-Bhagavatam. First-class attachment, second- self and the Superself, one will be cheated. Real yoga means
class attachment, and third-tlass attachment are also explained in understanding this process of self-realization.
Srimad-Bhagavatam, in the Eleventh Canto. /
. However one is situated, one should have the determination to yato yato niscalati
| go out and preach Krsna consciousness. That endeavor should at manas caficalam asthiram
least be there, and one who so attempts to preach renders the best . fatas tato niyamyaitad
| service to the Lord. Despite opposition, one should attempt to atmany eva vasam nayet
elevate people to the highest standard of self-realization. One who . .
has actually seen the truth, who is in the trance of self-realization, ‘From whatever and wherever the mind wanders due to its
cannot just sit idly. He must come out. Ramanujacarya, for in- flickering and unsteady nature, one must certainly withdraw it and
stance, declared the Hare Krsna mantra publicly. He did not dis- bring it back under the control of the Self.’ (Bg. 6.26) This is the
tribute it secretly for some fee. Recently, an Indian yogi came to real yogic process. If you are trying to concentrate your mind on
America to give some ‘‘private mantra.’ But if a mantra has any Krsna, and the mind is diverted —wandering to some cinema or
power, why should it be private? If a mantra is powerful, why wherever—you should withdraw the mind, thinking, Not there,
should it not be publicly declared so that everyone can take advan- please. Here.”’ This is yoga: not allowing the mind to wander from
tage of it? We are saying that this Hare Krsna maha-mantra can Krsna. .
save everyone, and we are therefore distributing it publicly, free Very intense training is required to keep the mind fixed on
of charge. But in this age, people are so foolish that they are not Krsna while sitting in one place. That is very hard work indeed. If
prepared to accept it. Rather, they hanker after some secret one is not so practiced and tries to imitate this process, he will
mantra and therefore pay some ‘“‘yogi’’ thirty-five dollars or what- surely be confused. Instead, we always have to engage ourselves |
ever for some ‘‘private mantra.”’ This is because people want to be in Krsna consciousness, dovetailing everything we do to Krsna. {
cheated. But the devotees are preaching without charge, declaring Our usual activities should be so molded that they are rendered
in the streets, parks, and everywhere, ‘‘Here! Here is the Hare for Krsna’s sake. In this way the mind will remain fixed on Krsna.
Krsna mahd-mantra. Come on, take it!’? But under the spell of As stated before, we should not try to sit down and stare at the tip
maya, illusion, people are thinking, ‘‘Oh, this is not good.”’ But if of our nose. At the present moment, attempts to engage In that
you charge something and bluff and cheat people, they will follow type of yoga are artificial. Rather, the recommended method is
you. chanting loudly and hearing Hare Krsna. Then, even if the mind is
In this regard, there is a Hindi verse stating that Kali-yuga is diverted, it will be forced to concentrate on the sound vibration
such an abominable age that if one speaks the truth, people will ‘“*Krsna.”” It isn’t necessary to withdraw the mind from every-
come and beat him. But if one cheats, bluffs, and lies, people will thing; it will automatically be withdrawn, because it will be con-
be bewildered, will like it, and will accept it. If I say, ‘‘l am God,” centrated on the sound vibration. If we hear an automobile pass,
people will say, ‘Oh, here is Svamiji. Here is God.”’ In this age, our attention is automatically diverted. Similarly, if we constantly
people don’t have sufficient brain power to inquire, ‘‘How have chant Hare Krsna, our mind will automatically be fixed on Krsna,
you become God? What are the symptoms of God? Do you have although we are accustomed to think of so many other things.
t
